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Ordinance 2009-28 Ordinance No. 2009 - AN ORDINANCE REPEALING DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR SOUTHERN STUDY j AREA OF CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND ADOPTING NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR THE UNITED CITY OF YORKVILLE WHEREAS, the United City of Yorkville (the "City ") is a non home -rule municipality in accordance with the Constitution of the Sate of Illinois of 1970 and has the powers granted to it by law; WHEREAS, the City Council of the United City of Yorkville has discussed and considered that it is in the best interests of the City to repeal the Design Guidelines for Southern Study Area of City's Comprehensive Plan in its' entirety and adopt new Design Guidelines;, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Mayor and City Council of the United City of Yorkville, Kendall County, Illinois, as follows: Section 1. That the United City of Yorkville Resolution No. 2008 -45 — Resolution Re- Adopting Design Guidelines from the Repealed Southern Study Area Comprehensive Plan, which was approved by the Corporate Authorities on December 9, 2008 is hereby repealed in its' entirety, and the United City of Yorkville Design Guidelines, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit A, is hereby approved in its stead. Section 2. This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect upon its passage, approval, and publication as provided by law. Passed by the City Council of the United City of Yorkville, Kendall County, Illinois this olio day of 5 2009. i i i R ROBYN SUTCLIFF DIANE TEELING GARY GOLINSKI ARDEN JOE PLOCHER WALTER WERDERICH MARTY MUNNS ROSE ANN SPEARS GEORGE GILSON, JR. Approved by me, as Mayor of the United City of Yorkville, Kendall County, Illinois, this J(o day of MAY 5 2009. i MAYOR 1 I i i I l i i 2009 Design Guidelines i r I I I I r United City of Yorkville 5/26/2009 i i I Table of Contents Introduction ............ ..... .................... ............................... .................. ..............................1 Purposeof Guidelines ........................................................................................................ ............................... l Applicability ........................................................ ............................... ............................. 1 ... ............................... PrinciplesOverview ........................................................................................................... ............................... 2 OverallPlanning Principles ........................................................................................ ............................... 3 PRINCIPLE 1: Preserve /Enhance Open Space and Environmental Features and Rural Character .................. 3 PreserveExisting Vegetation ......................................................................................... ..............................3 Create Recreational Opportunities ................................................................................ ............................... 4 PRINCIPLE 2: Promote Connectivity Between Land Uses and Adjacent Developments . ..............................4 Develop Comprehensive Master Plans .......................................................................... ............................... 4 ProvideContinuous Paths ............................................................................................. ............................... 4 PRINCIPLE 3: Provide Transitions Between Land Uses .................................................. ............................... 5 BuildingMass Hierarchy ............................................................................................... ............................... 5 Use of Open Space and /or Landscaping as a Transition Zone ...................................... ............................... 5 SitePlanning Principles ............................................................................................... ............................... 6 PRINCIPLE 4: Incorporate Existing Site Conditions into Development Plans ................. ............................... 7 DrainagePatterns .......................................................................................................... ............................... 7 Topographyand Soils .................................................................................................... ............................... 7 Vegetation..................................................................................................................... ............................... 7 PRINCIPLE 5: Provide a sense of architectural interest and unique identity throughout the City .................. 7 Buildings....................................................................................................................... ............................... 8 RetainingWalls ............................................................................................................. .............................12 PRINCIPLE 6: Enhance Pedestrian Experience and Establish Sense of Place Through Careful Design and Locationof Open Spaces ................................................................................................. ............................... 13 ViewCorridors ............................................................................................................ ............................... 13 Parksand Trails ........................................................................................................... ............................... 13 Courtyardsand Plazas ................................................................................................. ............................... 13 PRINCIPLE 7: Thoughtful Consideration of Vehicular and Pedestrian Circulation within Individual Developments.................................................................................................................. ............................... 14 VehicularCirculation .................................................................................................... .............................14 PedestrianCirculation ................................................................................................. ............................... 15 Pedestrian Circulation in Parking Lots ........................................................................ ............................... 16 Accessibility................................................................................................................ ............................... 16 PRINCIPLE 8: Appropriate Design of Parking Lots, Utilities, Service Areas and Detention Areas to Reduce the Negative Impact of Typically Unattractive Site Components ............................. . ....... I............................ 17 United City of Yorkville - Design Guidelines Table of Contents Parking........................................................................................................................ ............................... 17 Substations /Water /Wastewater Stations ........................................................................ .............................17 Detention..................................................................................................................... ............................... 18 Locationof Utilities ..................................................................................................... ............................... 18 Location of Service /Delivery/Trash /Storage Areas_ ..............................._.................... ............................... 19 LandscapePrinciples ................................................................................................... .............................20 PRINCIPLE 9: Provide a Unified Landscape Treatment throughout the City through the Use of Consistent Right -of -Way and Buffer Treatments .............................................................................. ............................... 20 LandscapeCharacter ................................................................................................... ............................... 20 "Gateway Corridor Landscape Treatments ................................................................ ............................... 20 GeneralPlanting Requirements ..................................................................................... .............................21 PRINCIPLE 10: Enhance the Aesthetic Appearance of Development and Lessen the Impact of Undesirable Site Components through the Effective Use of Landscaping ............ .............................. ............................... 21 Intersections and Site Entrances .................................................................................. ............................... 21 Landscaping Adjacent to Non - Residential Buildings ................................................. ............................... 21 UnimprovedPad Sites ........................................................................................_.......... .............................22 Dumpster /Trash Receptacles /Outdoor Storage ........................................................... ............................... 22 Community Character Principles ................. ....................................................... ............................... 23 PRINCIPLE 1.1: Establish Unique Gateway Entry Features to Identify the City ............ ............................... 23 PRINCIPLE 12: Establish a Comprehensive Theme and a Consistent Family of Lighting and Site Furnishings for all Public and Private Spaces .................................................................. ............................... 24 Architecture................................................................................................................. ............................... 24 SiteFurnishings ........................................................................................................... ............................... 25 PublicArt Program ........................................................................................................ .............................26 PRINCIPLE 13: Create a Cohesive Signage Program ....................................................... .............................26 SignageDesign_ ............................................................................................................. .............................26 Project Entry and Monument Signs ............................................................................. ............................... 27 NeighborhoodEntry Signs .......................................................................................... ............................... 27 DirectionalSigns ........................................................................................................... .............................27 WallSigns ................................................................................................................... ............................... 28 ProjectingSigns ............................................................................................................. .............................28 WindowSigns ............................................................................................................. ............................... 28 StreetAddress Markers ............................................................................................... ............................... 28 United City of Yorkville - Design Guidelines Introduction Introduction These Design Guidelines identify and address site development, architecture, and landscape issues while providing general guidance to developers and City staff creating and evaluating land development proposals. As a result, future development can respect and enhance the character and quality of life in the United City of Yorkville. The key objectives of the Design Guidelines are to: • Educate the public, developers, property owners, and plan reviewers as to the desired and expected vision for development in Yorkville. • Present clear principles and priorities for achieving the vision for the City. • Create a sense of place. • Increase connectivity and focus commercial activity into defined nodes. • Illustrate specific techniques to use when planning and developing with the City. Purpose of Guidelines The Design Guidelines are intended to maintain the unique character and acknowledge the heritage of Yorkville. In order to respect these objectives, there is a need to establish and maintain certain standards by which future development within Yorkville may occur. While the guidelines provide specific recommendations for development, they cannot cover all circumstances. It is the intent of the design guidelines to provide flexibility while achieving a sense of continuity and visual harmony with the United City of Yorkville. These design guidelines illustrate the proposed community character and establish an overall framework and comprehensive set of principles to allow the community to develop in an orderly and cohesive manner. They establish criteria for overall community planning, individual site planning, landscape concepts, signage design, as well as the architectural style and design for commercial, residential and civic areas. The guidelines outline ways to maintain the inherent character of the City while at the same time enabling individual developments to be distinct from one another. Applicability All lots which have buildings constructed upon them prior to the date of this document are exempt, except for any property which is being substantially redeveloped, rezoned, or which a special use is being requested. Substantial redevelopment consists of any construction activity that will result in a greater than 25 % increase to the existing square footage or the addition of twelve (12) or more parking spaces. These design guidelines apply to all new construction projects (residential, commercial, industrial, civic, etc). All site development proposals are required to be submitted to the City for review. Further, it is the applicant's responsibility to ensure compliance with the latest revisions to these guidelines. Copies will be made available upon request to the City. The City will review all proposed site plans for compliance with the established regulations /guidelines contained herein. United City of Yorkville - Design Guidelines Page 1 Introduction Principles Overview The design guidelines focus on the overall scale of the City while also considering individual sites. In addition to general guidelines, detailed design components such as site furnishings, specific landscaping, architectural styles and themes for community identity are presented to further define the character of Yorkville. The Design Guidelines are divided into four categories of design principles: Overall Planning, Site Planning, Landscaping and Community Character. Overall Planning One of the objectives of the Overall Planning principles is to respect existing environmental and cultural features and outlines ways development can appropriately occur without compromising the integrity of the existing features. Another critical component of the Overall Planning principles is ensuring coordinated, comprehensive developments which are connected and incorporate appropriate transitions between various land uses. Site Planning The objective of the Site Planning principles is to address individual developments and provide standards for creating attractive projects. The Guidelines outline specific techniques to achieve the desired aesthetics within individual developments. Landscaping The Landscaping principles outline requirements for landscape treatments for developments with respect to buffers, right of way treatments, screening and site enhancement. Community Character A fundamental goal of the design guidelines is to create a cohesive vision that reflects the unique character of Yorkville. By establishing a vision /theme for public and private properties within the City, a sense of character will be evident throughout the entire community. The Community Character principles outline specific design features such as architectural elements, gateways, major intersection enhancements, site furnishings, light fixtures, and signage criteria recommended to maintain a consistent and unique identity for the City. The character principles are intended to allow for variation between individual developments while maintaining consistent features throughout the City. United City of Yorkville - Design Guidelines Page 2 Overall Planning Principles Overall Planning Principles The Overall Planning Principles address issues that impact development within the City, primarily focused upon issues related to land use with the City. PRINCIPLE 1: Preservelenhance open space, environmental features and rural character PRINCIPLE 2: Promote connectivity between land uses and adjacent developments PRINCIPLE 3: Provide transitions between land uses Desirable Elements: The following elements shall be incorporated into the developments within the City: • Preservation of existing trees • Trailheads signifying pedestrian pathways • Shared access points to development • Connections to adjacent properties to incorporate future development • "Step down" of building height with respect to adjacent, lower intensity land uses • Protect and preserve right -of -way for future expansion • Incorporate exclusive turn lanes into developments and at intersections Undesirable Elements: The following elements are discouraged in developments within the City: • Destruction or loss of natural open space and environmentally sensitive areas • Fragmented open space • Numerous traffic signals and uncoordinated driveway connections • Curb cuts for individual businesses • Drastic change in intensity of land use within developments and among adjacent properties PRINCIPLE 1: Preserve /enhance open space, environmental features and rural character One of the primary goals of the design guidelines is to preserve the unique character of Yorkville. Several strategies can be , implemented in order to protect the open space that currently exists and enhance the quality of open space throughout the City. Preserve Existing Vegetation Recognizing that the existing tree cover throughout Yorkville is a significant benefit to the character of the City, emphasis shall be y �� placed on preservation of existing trees. • When developing, radii should be managed an effort p g� g g g to reduce mass grading activities that would negatively impact existing tree cover. Existing tree cover in Yorkville • Site planning should incorporate strict preservation requirements, focusing development into clusters that protect existing tree stands. (Refer to PRINCIPLE 4) • Utilize existing vegetation as a natural screen for parking and other elements that need to be screened from public view. (Refer to PRINCIPLE 8) United City of Yorkville — Design Guidelines Page 3 Overall Planning Principles Create Recreational Opportunities Yorkville's existing and proposed open space network provides a significant opportunity to establish a comprehensive trail system and expand the City's recreational open space system. Thoughtful design and incorporation of a coordinated trail system will provide critical linkages between developments and open spaces. • Provide public trailheads within or adjacent to new development to serve as a means to integrate development into the open space system. • Careful consideration should be given to trail connections within individual site plans to encourage alternative modes of transportation. PRINCIPLE 2: Promote connectivity between land uses and adiacent developments Provide a comprehensive approach to development that focuses on developing master plans that provide vehicular and pedestrian connections between adjacent properties. Consideration should be given to future development on and off -site. Planning for future expansion and connection helps create a sense of organization and assists in mitigating the traffic and number of access points along major roadways. Develop Comprehensive Master Plans Master plans should be developed to address relationships with adjacent properties, including but not limited to; the impact on circulation, building orientation, building massing, building scale, drainage patterns, topography and existing vegetation. Provide Continuous Paths Having convenient and easy access to a variety of activities and uses is important in creating a strong sense of community. Providing connections between developments and considering how future developments can be incorporated into the comprehensive plan is critical to the overall success of the City. • Vehicular • In order to provide connections between developments while at the same time limiting the number of access points onto roadways, site plans shall be developed to incorporate connections to existing and future adjacent development. d� • Site planning of non- residential areas shall consider designing parking lot circulation to provide shared access points for adjacent developments, thus minimizing access points along major roadways. • Add street stubs for future development in residential areas to create continuous street Shared access points in a networks. non- residential development United City of Yorkville - Design Guidelines Page 4 Overall Planning Principles • Pedestrian • Proposed site plans shall incorporate pedestrian routes within the development as well as connections to adjacent development. • Pedestrian links shall be provided to activity generators such as schools, parks, and shopping centers. • Buildings and plazas should be oriented to clearly identify linkages to adjacent developments. Pedestrian link to a local park in Yorkville PRINCIPLE 3: Provide transitions between land uses Providing an appropriate means of transition between different land use intensities is important for creating compatible land uses within the City.. This can be done a variety of ways, ranging from the architectural style, scale and location of buildings, to the use of open space and landscaping. Building Mass Hierarchy • Incorporate medium intensity development between projects of low and high intensities. • Building massing and height should provide a "step down" effect as a transition between different land use intensities. • Similar architectural styles may be incorporated on different land uses and various densities within a development. • New buildings should be compatible in relation to scale and materials of existing adjacent developments. • In residential developments, higher densities should be located closest to core activity areas. Use of Open Space and /or Landscaping as a Transition Zone When transitions cannot be achieved through the variety of techniques listed previously, landscaping and /or open space may be used to provide a transition. Utilizing any existing vegetation provides a mature, natural buffer. If existing vegetative buffers are not possible, utilize landscaping to screen and buffer residential uses from high? intensity, non - residential uses. l 1 JNrPVitS17y CA �SiTl IN o,7Y To transition behveen different intensities, use landscaping and a "step down " in building mass United City of Yorkville — Design Guidelines Page 5 Site Planning Principles Site Planning Principles The Site Planning Principles address issues that affect the way that individual sites should be developed in order to blend in with the existing character of the City. PRINCIPLE 4: Incorporate existing site conditions into development plans PRINCIPLE 5: Provide a sense of architectural interest and unique identity throughout the City PRINCIPLE 6: Enhance pedestrian experience and establish sense ofplace through careful design and location of open spaces PRINCIPLE 7: Thoughtful consideration of vehicular and pedestrian circulation within individual developments PRINCIPLE 8: Appropriate design ofparking lots, utilities, service areas and detention areas to reduce the negative impact of typically unattractive site components Desirable Elements: The following elements shall be incorporated into the developments within the City: • Richness of building surface and texture • Articulated mass and bulk • Clear visibility of entrances • Well organized commercial signage • Landscaped and screened parking • Special paving identifying intersections and crosswalks • Pedestrian friendly streetscapes and open spaces • Thoughtful consideration of circulation • Screening of mechanical equipment, service areas, parking lots and any undesirable elements • Step -down of building scale along pedestrian routes and building entrances • Recognition of building hierarchy • Formal entry plazas and courtyards • Detention used as an amenity • Existing trees incorporated into development • Multi- planed, pitched roofs • Roof overhangs and arcades • Provide defined entrance roads into developments and provide adequate vehicle storage bays at egress drives Undesirable Elements: The following elements are discouraged in developments within the City: • Concrete detention basins • Large, blank, unarticulated wall surfaces • Visible outdoor storage, loading, equipment and mechanical areas • Disjointed parking areas and confusing circulation patterns • Large expanses of parking • Service entrances near major entries and /or that are easily visible from roadway • Poorly defined site access points • Large "boxlike" structures United City of Yorkville — Design Guidelines Page 6 Site Planning Principles PRINCIPLE 4: Incorporate existing site conditions into development plans New development shall protect the existing environmental features throughout the City and minimize the impact of the development on the site and the surrounding land. Drainage Patterns Proposed site plans shall incorporate existing drainage patterns on site in an effort to avoid significantly altering the manner in which drainage flows offsite. At the time of site plan submittal to the City, a drainage and detention plan must be submitted. The location and type of drainage facilities must be shown. Topography and Soils Drainage swale utilizes natural drainage patterns • Minimize cut and fill on site to reduce effects upon the natural drainage pattern and natural character of the site. • Minimize disturbance in areas of significant existing vegetation. If necessary for site development, consider using tree wells and retaining walls to preserve existing trees where possible. • Development on unsuitable soils is prohibited. Incorporate unsuitable soils into an open space component of the site plan. • Stockpile top soil for later use in landscape areas. Vegetation • Preserve existing trees. Every effort should be made in the planning process to incorporate quality, existing trees into the site plan design. Any quality, existing tree that occurs within the specific buffer yard as required per PRINCIPLE 9 shall remain Work witli existing topography to ndnindze cut and fill undisturbed and be protected as part of the landscape buffer. • Preservation and enhancement of natural features, including native plant materials, is encouraged. PRINCIPLE 5: Provide a sense of architectural interest and unique identity throughout the City The architectural standards are provided to preserve and guide the character of architecture throughout the City while allowing for individual architectural interpretation. All architectural proposals must be compatible with the vernacular of the northern Illinois region. In order to ensure compliance with the following architectural guidelines, the City requires that building elevations, plans, materials samples, color samples, and illustrations be submitted for review and approval prior to the commencement of building construction. United City of Yorkville - Design Guidelines Page 7 Site Planning Principles Buildin ,vs • Orientation: Building orientation should take advantage of the building to site relationship. The orientation and location of buildings defines open spaces and circulation corridors. • Align focal architectural elements along major view or circulation axis. • Define pedestrian spaces and streetscapes with building 4 .~ orientation. T O e+v.M emtae s t w • Create view corridors between P � buildings, plazas, courtyards and 1 adjacent buildings. .�•- puDYlGf �LX7MFi �� +' ' �� • Create pedestrian spaces and ��W+ J � p plazas by varying building facades,'- • Cluster buildings whenever possible, creating opportunities for plazas and pedestrian malls. Use building orientation to define main activity areas Prevent long, linear facades from dominating the view. • Buildings adjacent to Routes 30, 34, 47, 71, and 126 must face the primary roadway. No service access, storage, etc. is allowed to face Routes 30, 34, 47, 71, and 126. • Develop sites in a comprehensive and coordinated manner to provide order and compatibility (especially in the case of large sites which will be developed in phases). • The exterior character and orientation of all buildings and the spaces they define should encourage and enhance pedestrian activity. • Attention should be given to the quality and usability of the outdoor spaces formed by the exterior of a dwelling and adjacent dwellings. Avoid locating the private, area of one dwelling adjacent to the `t public area of an adjacent dwelling. • Buildings with a south orientation are encouraged in order to utilize passive solar heating. Proper placement of windows and proper overhangs (which block the sun in the summer and let in the sun in the winter) are necessary as part of a passive solar design in order to Orient primary building on axis and use as points take advantage of the heating benefits in the winter and cooling benefits in the summer. • In multi - family residential developments, buildings should be oriented to create functional outdoor spaces. • In residential neighborhoods, consideration should also be given to the views from adjacent dwellings and public spaces. • Facades: Building facades should achieve a high level of visual interest when viewed from automobile and pedestrian vantage points. United City of Yorkville — Design Guidelines Page 8 Site Planning Principles o In residential developments, front yards and porches should be used to create a sense of place and community. I CONSIDER Q'F 1 4M o Natural stone and masonry C va"`z materials are to be used on --� ;�. � f4DiRRRQfN1D the lower portions of .^c1. IA + � ,I � WRPAY�t ORNNPY buildings to create a visual r, } i anchor to the ground and LocaanwtnW, ill ` PQESERVE VE E:MION 4 : provide interest at the pedestrian level. o Vary the planes of exterior i .� saRCHEr�ccww.Ees RONTYARVAC mn walls in depth and /or direction. Residewial building orientation creates sense of place o Wall planes shall not run in a continuous direction more than 65 feet without an offset of at least 3 feet. o Wall planes of more than 20 feet high are prohibited without incorporating meaningful techniques, such as awnings or a change in building material, to break up the perceived building mass. o Awnings are encouraged along facades to provide color, shade and architectural interest. Where awnings are used along a row of continuous buildings, a consistent form, material, color, location and mounting arrangement must be used. • Awnings should be located to provide a consistent minimum 8 _ feet vertical clearance, with a maximum generally not to exceed 12 feet.�' • Colors of awnings must _ ` ,� �j�'I G complement the buildings. • Incorporate the awnings along f with any signage to provide a uniformly designed building facade. - Ai vtings in Downtown Yorkville ■ Signs on awnings are permitted. ■ Internally illuminated awnings are prohibited ■ Awnings and canopies may be made of sheet metal or canvas membrane. Plastic or vinyl awnings are not pennitted. o In new residential neighborhoods, houses shall not repeat same elevations without two lots of separation. Houses across the street from each other and back -to -back corner lots shall not e of the same elevation. o In residential areas, garages should not dominate the street view. Rather, provide parking and garages to the side or rear of lots or set the garage face back from the primary facade of the house. Avoid allowing the garage to become the primary architectural feature. • Roof Treatment: Rooftops should be considered important design elements as viewed from a variety of vantage points such as at ground level, from other buildings and from adjacent United City of Yorkville — Design Guidelines Page 9 Site Planning Principles perimeter roadways. A well - composed "roofscape" achieves an interesting skyline without becoming overly busy or contrived. Roof forms should serve as natural transitions from the ground level to intermediate masses to the tallest masses and back to the ground. Forn should also be interesting 1 i� t s` when seen from above in adjacent buildings. Iv' Materials and Colors: Visual continuity in major building materials • and colors is desired throughout the City. Specific criteria include the following: o Material samples of all proposed buildings must be provided for review and be approved by the City. o Materials should be consistent with the Community Character principles outlined in these guidelines. o Wall materials that are muted, earth tone in color and have Varying roofline break up long texture are to be used expanse of building facade o Reserve the use of strongly contrasting materials and colors for accents, such as building entrances, railings and trim. Avoid an excessive variety of facade materials. o Avoid using highly reflective materials and surfaces such as polished metal, which generate glare, particularly at the pedestrian level. o Materials which may be incorporated include: native stone, brick, stucco and textured concrete. Alternative materials that achieve similar looks and are of high quality and low maintenance may be considered. o Common materials shall be located on all sides of the building with the exception of service areas not visible from a public street. o Coordinating materials within a development can tie together buildings of different sizes, uses, and forms. o In new residential neighborhoods at the time of initial building permit, houses shall not be the same color unless there are at least two lots of separation. Houses Residential development with side oriented garage across the street from each other are not permitted to be the same color. o Use contrasting but compatible building materials and textures to unify exterior building elements and to create depth, proportion and scale. o In residential developments, building should complement each other by using materials and colors within the same "family ". o Building colors should be derived from, and related to, the finishes of primary building materials. • Height: The overall appearance of development shall be low and horizontal, with building heights throughout the community generally low to medium scale. Building heights are expected (and desired) to vary to ensure visual interest. United City of Yorkville — Design Guidelines Page 10 Site Planning Principles o Consider the use of taller buildings and /or elements to highlight significant intersections and pedestrian nodes. o Building heights shall be determined in a manner which enhances an overall residential quality. o Maintain compatible relationships with �"- adjacent dwellings and street frontages. o Building heights shall be responsive to heights of homes located on slopes above and below the dwelling. o Sight lines to greenbelts, open areas, water '"`? Wh - � features, and scenic horizon views are to be q 4 optimized and maintained to the fullest extent possible by minimizing the building height and obstruction. f;. o Scenic view compatibility shall be Pedestrian scale eleniews located considered in determining building height. along building o Within a neighborhood, a combination of one, one and a half, and two story dwellings is encouraged to add diversity to the streetscape. Entire neighborhoods or blocks of continuous two story dwellings are discouraged. o For multilevel dwellings on coder lots, locate a one -story element of the dwelling at the street corner to help reduce the feeling of enclosure in the neighborhood. o Two -story dwelling can best relate to a neighboring one story if it contains a one -story element. • Scale: Buildings should appear to be of a "pedestrian" or "human" scale. When components in the built environment are designed in such a way that people feel comfortable, then human scale has been achieved. In general, these means that the size, patterns, textures, forms and overall three - dimensional composition can be appreciated at the pedestrian level. o Vary the height of buildings, and /or building elements where feasible, so they appear to be divided into distinct elements or masses. o Avoid large -scale buildings that are "box- s like" and typically dominate a site. o Use building mass appropriate to the site. Place buildings with larger footprints, height and massing in core activity areas or in the heart of the development near �7 S similar densities. By doing so, the impact on adjacent land uses will be reduced. i I lllfh 111 o In residential areas, the relationship between the lot size, street width and building scale are important to creating a Front porch provides human scale eleinew human scale. Elements such as trees, pedestrian path lighting and porches can aid in achieving human scale. United City of Yorkville - Design Guidelines Page 11 Site Planning Principles • Hierarchy: It is important to recognize that future projects will be developed using a variety of buildings with various uses. Vehicular and pedestrian traffic should be able to recognize the hierarchy of buildings from secondary buildings. • Primary Buildings: Primary buildings, such as major anchors, public buildings or major attractions, shall be located at prominent locations, anchoring a major view axis and serving as focal points in the community. • Gateway Buildings: Buildings at major entrances, corners, intersections, or along significant roads should use special architectural elements to help identify that location as a "gateway ". These elements also begin to define the sense of place for the community. • Special architectural features may include corner towers, cupolas, clock towers, balconies, colonnades or spires. • The use of vertical ton <cc ur ruia:+rG w x elements helps to Z: O-FT ++:11 rz frame the entrance - and guide people 1 into and through the development. r „ q t. • Entrances ■ Primary entrances should be easily ;,� 1 8 +` ti` . -� ��, �` n identifiable and relate to both human scale as well as the scale of the building(s) they serve. Gateway Buildings ■ Wherever possible, entrances should be inviting without becoming dark. ■ Main building entrances should be designed to be clearly identifiable from primary driveways and drop -offs. Additionally, they should be visible from parking areas. Retaining Walls • All retaining walls must be faced (veneered) with masonry (stone, brick, stucco or approved equal). • Retaining walls adjacent to or visible from any street shall not exceed 4 feet in height. Grade changes that require retaining walls exceeding 4 feet must be terraced with a minimum of 4 feet clear separation between each wall. Exceptions may be reviewed and approved by the City in order to preserve existing tree stands. • Walls should be designed as an integral part of the dwelling design. Stone sizes should be consistent and laid in a horizontal course. Masonry materials shall match or complement the fagade of surrounding buildings. • Walls at intersections must not interfere with safe sight distances. United City of Yorkville - Design Guidelines Page 12 Site Planning Principles PRINCIPLE 6: Enhance pedestrian experience and establish sense of place through careful design and location of open spaces The creation of open space throughout the City is an essential technique used to break up building facades. The use of such pockets of interest creates views into the various developments. A wide range of open spaces such as public gathering plazas, open "greens ", common play areas, neighborhood parks and natural preserves can be incorporated into development plans. View Corridors • Open space is considered a valuable amenity, therefore careful consideration of vistas into open spaces from residential lots, streets and drives is required. • Maintain view corridors to provide LOCH -E SPECIAL FEAIIRES vistas of amenities, natural AT TERMINUS Of DRIVE features, open spaces and other significant elements. • Create focal points at main entries,' VEGMTION rRMES VIEN on axis with major circulation ANDCRr1Cr5CORRIr OR 1 routes and pedestrian corridors to establish a strong identity and structure for the project. `-- - -�- ----- — - - -- View of amerutv,feature is fi -amed by use of vegetation and road Trails aligrnnent, creating a signature element • Properties developing in areas where trails are proposed as part of the City's Shared Use Trail Plan, should construct these trail segments. • Trail linkages should be provided from proposed neighborhoods to the City's Shared Use Trail system, forest preserve trails, and adjacent developments. • Trailheads should be incorporated in to developments to identify the City's Share Use Trail System. Types of trailheads can range from simple signage or informational kiosk of the system to larger facilities with parking and public restroom facilities. The type desired will be determined by the location of the development. Connecting trails fi-om neighborhoods to shared use trail system Courtyards and Plazas Courtyards, plazas and terraces should be designed at a human scale and incorporated as public amenities around non - residential buildings. Interrupting building facades to create "outdoor rooms" as well as varying the width of walkways will help create pedestrian spaces'. These pedestrian spaces will create opportunities for comfortable outdoor experiences and are critical in defining plazas and courtyards. • Orient plazas and courtyards to views of site amenities such as open space, water features, sculptural elements or landscaped areas. United City of Yorkville - Design Guidelines Page 13 Site Planning Principles • Consider opportunities to orient plazas and courtyards toward views of significant buildings or down long corridors, • Wherever possible, create a sense of enclosure for outdoor seating areas. Such areas should be light and airy while providing a sense _ =— _sal of safety rom the elements. Cis " y INCORPORATE A VPREIY • Add elements such as trees water OF L ET . PAVERS, _ CO LOR. OR, ETC. To ono VISUAL INTEREST features, a variety of seating areas j and landscape color to give the public spaces an inviting To NCOURA E `iae` appearance and visual interest. Plazas and courtyards offer spaces for outdoor cafes • Incorporate pedestrian scaled lighting for safety and to promote use in the evening. • Incorporate pavers and paving patterns, with special consideration given to permeable pavers, to add interest and enhance the aesthetic quality of spaces. • Allow for outdoor tables and seating to promote use of the space. PRINCIPLE 7: Thoughtful consideration of vehicular and pedestrian circulation within individual developments The purpose of the circulation standards is to minimize hazards and conflicts and establish logical circulation patterns. The appropriate integration of vehicular and pedestrian circulation is intended to provide safe and convenient access to all sites while being attractive, efficient and functional. Vehicular Circulation • Primary Site Entrances: Each entrance to a parcel, individual building site or residential neighborhood from a primary roadway should be designed as a "gateway" to the area it serves. Design elements should be visually interesting and consistent with other streetscape materials used throughout the City. DERGNPAM00WMA When designing entries into LOGICAL FLOW. WW A11"G#4*WCRmu residential and non - AWC ROSSM residential tracts, WONP o ° ° developers shall: • Coordinate with --- adjacent properties q to consolidate ' r Puauar trmre o0 entries and �_ IY tAtASCAKNGAlD !IE➢(Itt lmini mize access staaaw t NTR( rchImun W WRH PRMRRY rARWAY points along major roadways. A single primmy entrance reduces access points along a roadTvav • Minimize pedestrian and vehicle conflicts by reducing the quantity of crosswalks. • Clearly identify site entries and provide a clear entry/arrival sequence. • Provide "secondary" entries to parking lots and smaller residential neighborhoods from adjacent perpendicular minor roadways. Paving material, plants, signs and lighting United City of Yorkville - Design Guidelines Page 14 Site Planning Principles should match primary entrance treatments, although landscaping intensity and signage may be reduced in scale. o Provide at least one "primary" entry to parking lots or residential communities. The use of medians and /or special paving or landscaping to identify primary entries is required. • Internal Drives: All internal drives should visually lead drivers to building entries, site amenities, or focal elements. o Design drives and parking areas to fit the natural contours of the site in order to minimize cut and fill and maintain natural drainage. o Align streets and drives to offer views to significant architectural features and site amenities and to direct drivers. o Internal streets shall be separated from parking lots by landscape islands and walkways. • Drop -Off Areas:. Drop -off areas for vehicles passengers shall be incorporated into development plans and should provide safe, convenient access to building entries, pedestrian plazas, and public open spaces. Drop -off areas must conform to all ADA regulations and standards. o Emphasize drop -off areas with special paving material. o Design drop -.off lanes TANDSCAPiNG CREATES so they do not obstruct INVITING ENTRANCE traffic flow whenf vehicles are stopped. o Install bollards at PROTE T PEEDDESMIANSS SPACE aND drop -offs to provide IDENTIFY DROP -OFF AREA WITH SPECR PAVING protection for DROP-OFF AREA DOES NOT OBSTRUCT buildings and I TRAFFIC FLOW pedestrian walkways. Design drop -off areas so they do )lot conflict Tvith regular traffic and are identified Tvith paving and bollards • Service Areas: Service vehicle circulation throughout the City shall be designed to provide safe and efficient delivery routes for all anticipated service and delivery vehicles. The design of individual parcels to accommodate truck access shall meet all regulatory requirements for turning movements without sacrificing other important design objectives. • Locate service areas away from major streets and building entrances. • A noise barrier is required in situations where service areas are adjacent to a residential land use.. • Minimize pedestrian and service vehicle conflicts. • Hide /screen views into service areas. Screening can be provided with landscaping or screen walls. Screen walls shall repeat materials and elements of the primary building. • Adjoining uses should share service drives where possible. • Design service drives to accommodate the traffic intended to use them including all entrance roads and access aisles that will be used to access the service areas. Pedestrian Circulation The purpose of pedestrian circulation standards is to establish guidelines for creating a pedestrian circulation system that is safe and efficient. Good walking environments include: continuous routes United City of Yorkville — Design Guidelines Page 15 Site Planning Principles between sites, clearly defined access from parking areas, a variety of connected destinations and a feeling of safety and security. • Sidewalks: Sidewalks must be constructed to provide pedestrian access to adjacent development and connections to the pedestrian trails throughout the City. Within specific developments, sidewalks shall provide access to and from parking lots, neighborhoods, schools, parks and open spaces. o Create distinct pedestrian corridors, which funnel pedestrians to logical gateways, plazas or other destinations. o Place special emphasis on pedestrian connections that link schools, recreation areas, and other major activity areas. o Neighborhoods should have access to open space and pocket parks by way of sidewalks and trails. o In residential areas, sidewalks should be located on both sides of the street, or trail in lieu of sidewalk on one side and sidewalk on the other. o Pavers or other changes in material or color should be used for walks adjacent to buildings and at street intersections to identify and enhance pedestrian routes. • Crosswalks: Crosswalks are required at all intersections and key pedestrian crossings. Crosswalks must be identified by change in color, height, width, texture, or materials. Refer to ADA regulations and standards for any specific criteria regarding crosswalks and ramps. Pedestrian Circulation in Parking Lots Walkways that lead pedestrians from parking areas to buildings or plazas should be designed to facilitate easy movement and minimize crossing conflicts with vehicles. Pedestrians should feel comfortable about their walkways to buildings and pedestrian corridors IOCAM SE " CEARFA should clearly identified. lOAVVOPEMM CONRfCTMOSCREFN • Pedestrians should not be required to cross service FROWAMMM drives to reach major entrances from primary parking lots. SPECIAL WNG 5IGNINE5 • Where major pedestrian routes within parking lots MUOR CROSSWA1MOM PMprK �m cross roadways and drives, use textured or colored s`41SiI rit paving materials to distinguish the route. -� ,;,,, rnRECrPFCana�w r' TPAEFIC PFRMV CL W1 • Medians with sidewalks allow for safe circulation Ir Y roQUMOMa ErOPANa Tn and reduce circulation conflicts. iu PROVIOIUMAIKIN • Wherever feasible orient parking aisles MOM WRMS UTM Median with sidewalk allows perpendicular to building entrances. safe access to building enti v Accessibility Owners and developers are expected to meet or exceed all requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 1992, and all amendments thereto is the design and development of individual parcels, sites, buildings, and facilities. To the greatest extent possible, provide equal access in a manner that integrates ADA accessibility with ordinary accessibility, rather than separately. United City of Yorkville — Design Guidelines Page 16 Site Planning Principles PRINCIPLE 8: Appropriate design of narking lots, utilities, service areas and detention areas to reduce the negative impact of typically unattractive site components This section provides standards for the siting and layout of parking lots, service and loading areas, utilities, trash, storage and detention facilities. Specific landscaping criteria for these areas are included in the Landscaping Principles section. Site plans specifying parking and circulation designs, utility and detention requirements shall be submitted to the City for review. Parkin • Parking ratios and quantity of spaces shall comply with the criteria set forth in the United City of Yorkville Zoning Ordinance • Parking areas should be designed and located so they provide safe and efficient vehicular and pedestrian circulation within a site. • Minimize negative visual impacts from adjacent roadways. • Break large expanses of pavement with landscape medians and islands. • Divide parking areas which accommodate a large number of vehicles into a series of smaller, connected lots. • Avoid situations where parking spaces directly abut structures. • Separate parking aisles from interior cluster buildings to collectors and entry drives whenever create open space possible. courtyards Shared Parking Where opportunities exist Walkways to buildings or plazas should be designed to for shared parking between uses with taeilitete easy movement and staggered peak parking demands, consider nlinimiis Crossing Conflicts With vehicles l reducing the total number of parking spaces within each site or parcel. Parking should Arrange parking aisles perpendicular to building Provido podoslrlan be shared between complementary uses entrances access to adjacent such as churches and office buildings. developments Minimize visual impacts ofpaYkingf-on? roadiwgs Store Front & Street Parking Requirements All store front parking areas shall use angled parking or parallel parking. Areas shall be provided for sidewalks and landscaping between the store front and the edge of parking stall. Bicycle: To encourage and accommodate alternative transportation modes, provide bicycle parking within each building site. Locate bicycle parking areas so they are visible form building entrances and convenient for riders. Parking areas shall be landscaped in a manner consistent with pedestrian plazas. Also, bike racks should be of a style consistent with other site elements. Substations/Water /Wastewater Stations Proposed electric substations, water pump stations and wastewater lift stations shall be screened from public views by a means of a 6 foot masonry wall on all sides with the exception of the area for gate accesses to the facility combined with landscaping. Service access shall be considered and incorporated into the screening program. United City of Yorkville — Design Guidelines Page 17 Site Planning Principles Detention • Drainage facilities should be used as an amenity to a development. If the existing topography allows, the location can be incorporated into an entry feature or can be the foundation fora park with trails and open space. • Natural and /or vegetated drainage swales provide open space connections, filter runoff and improve the aesthetic appearance of development. • Detention facilities should not be designed as to Naturalized detention basin in Yorkville require chain link fencing or concrete walls. If such designs are required due to engineering requirements, consider using decorative modular stone to give the appearance of a retaining wall. • Detention ponds located in the front yard building set back shall be designed as a curvilinear, contoured shape. • The design of detention ponds and drainage swales should incorporate conservation practices and include native plant materials in the landscape. Location of Utilities Visual and sound impacts of utilities, mechanical equipment, data transmission dishes, towers and other equipment should be minimized in all development plans. • Design and install all permanent utility service lines underground. • During construction and maintenance, minimize disruptions to other sites and businesses within the City. • Temporary overhead distribution power and telephone lines are permitted during construction but shall be removed immediately upon completion of site and building construction. • Wherever possible, mount data transmission and receiving telecommunication devices at ground level to the rear of structures and screen views from adjacent roadways, pedestrian paths and building sites. • Screen all electrical transformers, gas meters and other utility cabinets from view. • Structures are prohibited from being located in utility easements. Avoid locating signs, special landscape features, etc. in utility easements. • Air conditioning units, vent systems and other mechanical systems that must be located on building roofs shall be screened from sight at the ground plane. • In residential communities: • Items requiring screening should be located on the rear or side yards when possible and should be integrated in to the unit design. • Air conditioning units must be located behind a screen wall or planting hedge • Utility meters must be located on side or rear elevations of the dwelling. United City of Yorkville — Design Guidelines Page 18 Site Planning Principles Location of Service/Delivery /Trash /Storage Areas The visual impacts of service, delivery, trash and outdoor equipment or storage areas should be minimized, particularly relative to views from public roadways and pedestrian corridors. Thoughtful placement and integration into the architecture and site design is a priority for all sites. • Orient service entrances, loading docks, waste disposal areas and other similar uses toward service roads and away from major streets and primary building entrances. _ e • Locate loading, service, trash and delivery areas so they do not encroach on any setbacks. • Avoid locating service areas where they are visible from adjacent buildings or where they may impact view corridors. Such facilities are more appropriate at the rear of buildings or sites. • Trash enclosures must be located away Screen duntpstcrs with walls and materials that match the from residential property lines. architecture of the priiiimy building • Wherever possible, coordinate the locations of service areas between adjacent users or developments, so that service drives can be shared. • Locate parking areas for outdoor equipment, trucks, trailers, service vehicles, etc. away from public parking lots and major pedestrian circulation routes. Unless totally out of view, screen these areas architecturally and with landscaping • All proposed dumpsters, trash receptacles, refuse storage containers, outdoor storage, and ground mounted equipment should be located within an enclosure providing screening along with landscaping along the perimeter. Such enclosures shall repeat materials and elements on the primary building. United City of Yorkville - Design Guidelines Page 19 Landscape Principles Landscape Principles Landscape guidelines are essential for reflecting and enhancing the distinct character of the City. The standards and requirements for the installation of landscaping and screening walls throughout the City are set forth in order to: • Enhance Yorkville's sense of place. • Promote the general welfare of the community. • Enhance the living environment. • Aid in the enhancement of property values. • Create an attractive, consistent appearance. • Complement the visual effects of buildings. • Provide appropriate buffers between land uses. • Support the landscape character of the City. • Use sustainable practices to reduce the impact of the built landscape on the natural ecosystem. The following criteria are intended to supplement the landscape requirements currently adopted by the City. Where any conflict or overlap exists with the current City Ordinance, the stricter of the two shall apply. PRINCIPLE 9: Provide a unified landscape treatment throughout the City through the use of consistent right -of -way and buffer treatments. PRINCIPLE 10: Enhance the aesthetic appearance of development and lessen the impact of undesirable site components through the effective use of landscaping. PRINCIPLE 9: Provide a unified landscape treatment throughout the City through the use of consistent right -of -way and buffer treatments. Landscape Character J _ T The overall character of the City will be enhanced in large `; part by the landscaping found throughout the City. To enhance the overall desired character throughout the City: _ • Landscaping will be done in informal clusters to create a more natural appearance. • Trails and /or sidewalks will be located throughout the City in the landscape buffers. Use landscaping to enhance the character of Yorkville "Gateway" Corridor Landscape Treatments • Primary Gateway Corridors: Several major corridors lead residents and visitors into the City of Yorkville. The visual experience along these "Gateways" is critical to the overall perception and character associated with Yorkville. Due to the importance of these "Gateways" and the influence they have on the identity for the City, specific criteria have been added to these guidelines to ensure that an attractive landscape appearance is maintained as properties are developed adjacent to these primary corridors. The primary corridors identified for specific landscape buffers include: Route 30, Route 34, Route 47, Route 126, Route 71 and Prairie Parkway and Caton Farm Road. Where scenic vistas are prominent along a "Gateway" corridor, United City of Yorkville — Design Guidelines Page 20 Landscape Principles such as Route 71, the landscape should be designed in a manner which frames the distant views. Site entrances should be highlighted with ornamental landscaping to signal the access point, while the remainder of the corridor should have an informal quality to capture the natural feel of the landscape. • Secondary Gateway Corridors: In addition to the primary gateway corridors leading into the City, several additional roadways have been identified as secondary gateway corridors, possessing unique and attractive qualities which also define the character of the City. Development along these secondary corridors should be carefully evaluated to ensure the character of Yorkville is preserved. These roadways include: Fox Road, Highpoint Road, Legion Road, Van Emmon Road, River Road, Cannonball Trail, Kennedy Road, Mill Road, Galena Road, Eldamain Road, Minkler Road and Baseline Road. As with Primary Gateway Corridors, Secondary Gateway Corridors should also have designed landscapes which frame the distant views of scenic vistas. Site entrances should also be highlighted with ornamental landscaping to signal the access point, while the remainder of the corridor should have an informal quality to capture the natural feel of the '.. ` ` landscape. Landscape buffer General Planting Requirements Proper installation and maintenance of landscape plantings is essential to achieving the desired character throughout the City. The following requirements specify critical considerations for landscape plantings. o All landscaping shall be separated from vehicular use areas by some form of barrier such as raised concrete curbing, bollards, curb stops or other suitable pennanent alternative. o No artificial plant material may be used to satisfy the requirements of this section. o Coordinate tree plantings with utility locations to avoid conflicts. o The use of native plant materials is strongly encouraged o The use of lawn seed, as opposed to sod, is encouraged PRINCIPLE 10: Enhance the aesthetic appearance of development and lessen the impact of undesirable site components through the effective use of landscaping. Intersections and Site Entrances Intersections and development entrances should be identified with ornamental landscaping coordinated with the signage. Clearly enhancing the entrances with landscaping and lighting will help identify key access points and add to the aesthetic appeal of the City. Landscaping Adjacent to Non - Residential Buildings • Incorporate planting beds into plazas to create shade and add human scale. United City of Yorkville — Design Guidelines Page 21 Landscape Principles • Consider evergreen trees to create wind- blocks against prevailing winter winds. • Accent entrances and architectural elements with ornamental -re plantings. a_ • Landscaped islands shall be planted with seasonal color! - and /or groundcover.� • Use plantings adjacent to buildings and along walkways to soften the appearance. • Mature trees should be pruned of branches up to 9 feet high to FN J maintain safe pedestrian passage. • Incorporate landscaping beds and planters at key entryways Landscape along buildings softens the edge and seating areas. • Landscaping is encouraged at pedestrian crossings and seating areas. However, consideration should be given to vehicular /pedestrian sight lines. • Explore opportunities to break up large expanses of pavement. Unimproved Pad Sites All portions of the development site not occupied by buildings, structures, vehicle access and parking areas, loading /unloading areas and approved storage areas shall be landscaped. Future building pads within a phase development shall be kept in a neat and orderly manner though no landscaping is required. Dunipster /Trash Receptacles /Outdoor Storage All proposed dumpsters, trash receptacles, refuse storage containers and outdoor storage shall be located within an enclosure providing screening by means of combining the following landscape elements: • Large shrubs and small trees shall be arranged as foundation planting around the perimeter of the pad areas. The opening for the equipment however shall not be obstructed. The above landscape requirements do not apply when the enclosure is an architectural extension of a principal building or where service areas are not visible. Place utility boxes at the rear of structures and screen with berms and landscaping United City of Yorkville - Design Guidelines Page 22 Community Character Principles Community Character Principles The Community Character Principles address issues related to creating a unified sense of place and a positive identity for the United City of Yorkville. PRINCIPLE 11: Establish unique gateway entrance features to identify the City. PRINICPLE 12: Establish a comprehensive theme and a consistent family of lighting and furnishings for all public and private spaces. PRINCIPLE 13: Create a cohesive signage program. Desirable Elements: The following elements are encouraged within all public and private areas throughout the City: • Significant gateway defining entry into the City. • Unique intersection enhancements to provide visual landmarks and repetitive design elements. • Significant landscape areas with interesting hardscape design. • Comprehensive, uniformly themed signage program for public and private spaces. • Consistent family of site furnishings and light fixtures. • Continuation of landscape buffer yards along the "Gateway" Corridors • Richness of building surface and texture • Consistent and cohesive architectural elements on buildings • Consistent window and door patterns • Significant wall articulation • Building facades with many windows for streetscape interest and appeal. Undesirable Elements: The following elements are discouraged within the City: • Large, billboard type signage structures for individual businesses. • Wide ranging lighting and site furnishing styles. • Stand alone signage for individual businesses within a development • Large, out -of -scale signs with flashy colors • Highly reflective surfaces or heavily tinted glass fronts • Metal siding on primary facades • Vinyl siding on residential buildings • Mix of unrelated styles, i.e. rustic wood shingles and polished chrome • Strongly themed architectural styles, which will soon become dated • Sparsely landscaped parking lots, entries and right -of -ways • Large non - residential building facades with few or no windows PRINCIPLE 11 Establish unique zateway entry features to identify the City Creating clearly defined gateways provides definition of the City's corporate limits, makes a welcoming statement to visitors and creates a sense of arrival. It also allows visitors to associate elements found within the City, such as signage and architectural elements, to characteristics of the gateway design. The gateway feature should incorporate "Welcome to the United City of Yorkville" in some consistent United City of Yorkville — Design Guidelines Page 23 Community Character Principles articulation and be consistent with the signage styles adopted for use in other public areas in the City. Gateway entry features are also encouraged to serve as trail heads for the City's Shared Use Trail system. Using similar materials, forms and colors will help introduce those elements that will be consistently found throughout the City. Applicable locations for primary gateway entry features are: • South of the intersection of Route 30 and Route 47 • Along Mill Road prior to the Burlington North Santa Fe railroad tracks • East of the Route 34 and Bristol Ridge Road intersection • West of the Route 71 and Van Emmon Road intersection, along Route 71 • West of the intersection of Route 126 and Block Road, along Route 126 • At the intersection of the Prairie Parkway and Caton Farm Road, along Route 47 • At the intersection of the Prairie Parkway and Route 71, along Route 71 • West the Rob Roy Creek along Route 34 Applicable locations for secondary gateway entry features are: • Along Route 30 west of Dickson Road • South of the intersection of Galena Road and Cannonball Trail, along Cannonball Trail • Along Galena Road to the east of Blackhawk Boulevard • Along Van Emmon Road to the west of Lyons Forest Preserve • Along Fox Road to the west of the Hoover Education Center • East of the intersection of River Road and Eldamain Road • East of the intersection of Eldamain Road and Galena Road • East of the intersection of Eldamain Road and Baseline Road PRINCIPLE 12: Establish a comprehensive theme and a consistent family of lighting and site furnishings for all public and private spaces i Develop special areas that contain similar forms and /or materials to visually unify a sequence of events within the City. Establish t design themes with complementary architecture, site furnishings, landscaping and lighting which are carefully coordinated to create } unique identities while enhancing the sense of place that defines Yorkville. Architecture Design themes for individual developments should have a Palette of conipleruentary site furnishings consistent palette of materials, forms and fixtures that is consistent with the Illinois vernacular architecture that unifies the City. The intent is to allow for unique designs and flexibility, but within a set of parameters. (Refer to PRINCIPLE 5) By doing so, development within the City is visually compatible. United City of Yorkville — Design Guidelines Page 24 Community Character Principles Site Furnishings A palette of complementary site furnishings shall be used throughout the City to provide continuity between developments. The palette includes the following furnishings: seating, planters, waste receptacles, and street lights. When development occurs within the City, the following furnishings or equivalent styles must be utilized in the site design and approved by the City planning staff. • Seating /Benches: Outdoor seating should be constructed of materials that are durable and easy to maintain in order to best withstand the elements and vandalism. Where seating is designed to be affixed, provide a variety of arrangements (both linear and grouped), which may accommodate 2 to 6 people. Provide benches at major building entryways, drop - off areas, pedestrian courtyards and plazas, parks and along the shared -use trail system. Seating /Bench • Planters: Planters shall complement the other furnishings in the palette. Planters should be incorporated into building entrances, plazas, or as a complementary feature to the overall architecture. • Waste and Recycling Receptacles: Waste and recycling receptacles shall complement the other furnishings in the palette. Waste and recycling receptacles shall be provided at building entrances, intersections, plazas as well as other locations. • Light Fixtures: Developing a family of lighting fixtures is critical to successfully developing a consistent style throughout the City. As a prominent element in the landscape, during the day and night, lighting must respond to a number of design criteria, including: • Provide consistent street lights throughout the City; allowing flexibility within the family of fixtures to provide for varying applications. • Lights should be pedestrian in scale; larger lighting applications such as traffic lights shall incorporate a detailed base which provides interest at the pedestrian level. Light Fixture • Highlight interesting architectural or landscape elements with the use of accent lighting. • Light fixtures attached to buildings shall be consistent with the style of the lighting family and compatibility with the architectural style. • Creatively utilize lighting to emphasize design elements, including entry signage and public art. • Fixtures shall be appropriately shielded so t that the light source is not directly visible' from public roads or adjacent properties. • Aesthetic and other non - security lights shall be placed on timers which are set to turn off during non -peak hours of the evening. Family of compatible fixtures United City of Yorkville — Design Guidelines Page 25 Community Character Principles o Light designs should adhere to the Dark Sky concept, which limits light pollution onto surrounding properties and the open sky above. o LED lights should be considered in all applications Public Art Program Incorporating outdoor sculptures, fountains and other artwork is encouraged. Such elements and features help establish strong visual identities for individual facilities and greatly enhance the unique character of Yorkville. • Artwork should have relevance to the United City of '77y Yorkville; past, present or future. • The placement of artwork shall be visibly located throughout the City • Accent public open spaces with sculptures or fountains to Fowitaiti provides focal point give added community character. PRINCIPLE 13: Create a cohesive signage program It is important to consider the experience of a first time visitor when developing a family of signage. Creating an easily identifiable, unified signage system facilitates movement to both public and private destinations. Consolidating the identification of multiple individual entities into a single system reduces the amount of visual clutter usually associated with individual businesses using competitive signage strategies. Proposed signage should be evaluated on material, color, shape, scale, size, location and overall appropriateness. Signs of all scales within a development should relate to each other through a consistent use of materials, colors and text style. The following criteria are intended to supplement the signage requirements currently adopted by the City. Where any conflict or overlap exists with the current City codes, the stricter of the two shall apply. Si nape Design • Colors o Sign colors should complement the colors and theme of the entire development. o Avoid too many colors, small accents may make the sign more attractive and unique but limit amount of colors used. • Materials • Sign materials should be compatible with the materials used on the building fagade upon which they are associated with or placed upon. • New materials may be appropriate only if they are designed in a manner consistent with the theme established by that development. • Metal signs are permitted but avoid finishes that will create glare. • Paper and cloth signs are not permitted. • Legibility • Limit the number of text styles to avoid confusion and increase legibility. • Avoid symbols and fonts that are hard to read or too intricate. • Use symbols and logos in place of words whenever appropriate. United City of Yorkville - Design Guidelines Page 26 Community Character Principles • Illumination • Illuminate only signs that are necessary, allow for illumination from other sources, such as streetlights or pedestrian lights. • Individually illuminated signs, either individual illuminated letters or back - lighted are encouraged. • Internally illuminated plastic cabinet signs are discouraged. Signs with individual letters are better integrated with the architecture. �..�.� • Location • Signs should not dominate the site in height and should not project above the rooflines of the buildings. Mortunzent sign • Signs should not obstruct doors or windows. • Utilize the building's architectural features to delineate where signs should be located. • Window signs should not cover a majority of the window. Project Entry and Monument Signs Project entry identifiers are located within landscape lot areas adjacent to major thoroughfares and at major intersections and primary entries. Projects with more than one tenant should locate no more than one sign along the City's "Gateway" corridors. • All freestanding signs should be monument type. • Freestanding monument signs should be perpendicular to the street. • Signs should be oriented so that sight lines at intersections are not obstructed. • Solid architectural bases and sides are encouraged. Each sign should incorporate a base, which is a minimum of 2 feet high. Sign materials should complement the materials used throughout the development. • Landscaping should be incorporated at the base of the sign. A minimum 5 ft. landscape bed shall be created on all sides of the sign. • Lighting of monument signs is permitted, minimize the amount of light pollution and glare onto surrounding property. Neighborhood Entry Si ms Neighborhood Envy Neighborhood entry identifies shall be placed at the primary entrance of individual neighborhoods within a community and shall be installed by the neighborhood homebuilder. The neighborhood signs shall be reflective of the main entry signage through the use of like forms, materials, logo and landscape. The location of neighborhood signs must be reviewed and approved by the City. Directional Signs When deemed necessary by the City or developer, easy to read motorist and pedestrian directional signs will be placed along public streets, greenbelts and trails within Yorkville. The location of each of these signs must receive the approval of the City. United City of Yorkville — Design Guidelines Page 27 Community Character Principles Wall Signs • All wall signs should not project from the surface of which they are mounted more than 12 inches. • Wall signs should be located where the building's architectural features suggest. Wall signs can help break up large blank walls and can provide a variation on wall greater than one story. • New wall signs in a development should be consistent in location - with all other adjacent wall signs in the development. • Lettering should not occupy more than 75% of the area of the panel where the sign is located. �Directional Sign • Wall signs should not project above the roofline or outside the edge of a building corner. Proiecting Sim • On a multistoried building, the sign should be suspended between the bottom of the second floor windowsill and the top of the first floor doors. r • Projecting signs should be made of metal, wood, or fiberglass. Plastic signs are discouraged.,. • Signs should be hung at a 90 degree angle to the building fagade. Signs should be pinned away from the building slightly to increase visibility but should not protrude into the vertical plane of drives or streets. • The bottom of the sign should provide a 10 foot clearance above pedestrian sidewalks. • Decorative iron and wood brackets are encouraged and should complement the overall design theme of the development. Projecting Sign Window Signs • Text should be limited to the business name and /or a message to describe the services offered. • Signs should be limited to individual letters placed on the interior surface of the window. • Letters should be white black or gold leaf paint. Avoid bright, distracting colors that may become too dominant and contrast the overall theme. Street Address Markers • In non - residential developments, address markers should be incorporated into the project signage with similar materials and colors. • In residential developments: • The address marker must be located within 5 feet of a light fixture, which will illuminate the street address number from dusk until dawn. • The address marker must be located closest to the street either on the front fagade of the house closest to the driveway or porch column closest to the driveway. United City of Yorkville - Design Guidelines Page 28